Kerala Court issues search warrant against ship

Even as Italy continued to mount diplomatic and political pressure on Tuesday, the Kollam chief judicial magistrate issued a search warrant against the Italian ship to recover the arms used in the recent killing of two Indian fishermen. HT reports.

Even as Italy continued to mount diplomatic and political pressure on Tuesday, the Kollam chief judicial magistrate issued a search warrant against the Italian ship to recover the arms used in the recent killing of two Indian fishermen.

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The police had moved court after Italian authorities turned down their request to hand over the arms. But they will wait for a nod from the MEA before searching the ship.

Meanwhile, the family of one of the deceased fishermen moved Kerala high court seeking that the ship be held until they got relief. Their petition is to come up for hearing on Wednesday.

Italy sent a top diplomat to India on Tuesday. Foreign minister Giulio Terzi is expected to visit on February 28. Indian officials, however, said Terzi’s visit was scheduled though it had not been formally announced.

Junior foreign minister Staffan De Mistura will “continue on a political level the action so far carried out by experts from the Italian foreign, defence and justice ministries”, said an Italian foreign ministry note.

The Italian foreign ministry also claimed the Indian police had taken “coercive” and “unilateral” action when they escorted the two guards, who were accused of killing the Indian fishermen, off the oil tanker and arrested them on Sunday.

The marines, Latore Massimiliano and Salvatore Girone, were sent in 14-day judicial remand on Monday. They also plan to move court on Wednesday.

The ship owners also filed a caveat in the HC saying they should be heard.